The Many Health Benefits Of Kelp
The health benefits of kelp are numerous. Although called a sea vegetable, kelp and other forms of seaweed, are actually algae. Two of the nutritional ingredients abundant in kelp are iodine and vitamin K, but kelp is perhaps best known for being rich in the various trace minerals our body needs.
A Small Caution - It is the ability of kept to absorb minerals from sea water that leads to one cautionary note when using kelp as a food or food supplement. Kelp not only readily absorbs good metals but can just as easily absorb metals that are not good for our health, the so-called heavy metals. Most metals which are potentially harmful to humans are absorbed by kelp in quantities too tiny to present any danger. One exception is arsenic, which can be absorbed in kelp to a degree that eating too much of this sea vegetable could pose a danger. Since people in various Asian countries as well as several northern European countries have been harvesting kelp as food for centuries, the arsenic would seem to pose no great danger, yet there are certain locations in the seas where the arsenic concentration is sufficiently high that kelp should not be harvested in those areas. Those who harvest and process kelp for food are generally aware of where those areas are and what types of sea vegetables should be avoided. All in all, kelp can be thought of as a safe food to eat, certainly when eaten in small quantities, like one might find in sushi.
Rather than list all the health claims for kelp, claims that are bound to be repeated when it comes to the sale of kelp supplements, listing some of the elements present in kelp, along with a few of the benefits to be realized from ingesting those elements, should be of some help.
A Source Of Iodine - First of all, kelp is a rich source of iodine, an element the body needs and one having many healing and other medicinal powers. Kelp also contains salt and is used by some as a salt substitute. Even though too much salt can be harmful, we still need it and kelp is an ideal source since it contains so many healthy nutrients. Kelp in fact contains such a rich abundance and variety of vitamins and minerals it can serve as nature's one-a-day multi-vitamin pill.
Benefits For The Heart - Kelp is an excellent source of magnesium, iron, and calcium, as well as the B vitamins riboflavin and pantothetic acid. There is also an abundance of folates and folic acid in kelp. Folic acid performs a valuable function in our body, as it breaks down a dangerous chemical which is naturally produced in the body and which, in high levels, can damage blood vessel walls, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke. Ingesting kelp is helpful for those having issues with atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. The magnesium in kelp also serves to help keep the heart and circulatory system healthy.
World's Healthiest Food - tor kelp harvesting due to the possible presence of arsenic or other harmful metals, it can still be said with certainty that kelp is one of the world's healthiest foods. If you live near an area where kelp grows, you can harvest your own. Check first to ensure the waters are not polluted. Harvesting kelp near the outflow of a chemical plant may not be in your best interest, but harvesting it along most any ocean beach or inlet will normally be quite safe. Kelp can also be purchased in dried form, very often found in the ethic food section of the supermarket, or in an Asian market, or shipped. Dried kelp is light in weight as the vegetable is mostly water, and the kelp can easily be reconstituted by adding water to it. If you like the taste, and most do, consider supplementing your meals with kelp from time to time. You body will thank you.